Chair.



` A. w. scHRAn/Hvl.A

CHAIR.

, APPLICATION FILED IUNE I5. I9l7. 9268,86 Patented June 11, 1918.

A 3 SHEETS-SHEET I.

v If) 9 e \l\ 3m O g2, o Y Q v u) w 1% Q w f W) O D` O m w a b?, I0 n) Et l ISS l4/ www #U I (Q of; i i nL/ Ilm, I N sr Humm Q lmIill Il I lIIIIIII: I LAL g 2:2 gv

/NVENTOR BY A TTORN A. W. SCHRAIVIIVI.

CHAIR.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE I5. IBI?.

1,268,886, Patented June 11, 1918.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

A TTORNEY A. W. SCHRAIVIIVI.

CHAIR.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE I5. 1917.

268,86., Patented J une 11, 1918.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

/N VEN TOR Q, 25B/ M A TTORNE Y l ADOLPH W. SCHRMM, OF-RIVERTON, NEWJERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO ELECTRO DENTAL MANUFACTURING COMPANY, FPHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, 'A COORLLION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

CHAIR.

To all whom t may] concern.

Be it known V that I, ADOLPH W. SGHRAMM, a citizen of the United States,residing at Riverton, in the county of Burlington and IState of NewJersey, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Chairs, of whichthe following is a specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in chairs such as those used bydentists, surgeons, barbers, etc., and which are adapted to be adjustedvertically. And the invention involves more particularly the use offluid or liquid in chambers in the base or pedestal of the chair placedunder pressure by some outside source of pressure supply, preferably airor water.

I have provided means whereby the chair, or the plungers supporting theseat of the chair having been raised, may be held ,in such adjustedposition, even though there may be a leakage of fluid from the chamberin which the fluid is confined. I have also provided means whereby withthe plungers in elevated position should it be desired to furtherelevate the 'plungers, this may be done without any backward slip of theplungers. Also, I have provided means whereby should the load be removedfrom the chair, there, will be no tendency of the plungers to moveupwardly. I have also provided means whereby the plungers supporting theplaten to which the chair seat is secured are brought to restautomatically at both limits of travel.

In the accompanying drawings, Fi re 1 is a sectional elevatlon of thechair pe estal, showing the valvemechanism for controlling thecirculation oi the liquid in the operation of the chair; Fig. 2 is apart sectional elevation ofthe Huid valve; Fig. 2a is a sectionalview,of the valve, taken at A--A of Fig. 2; Figs. 3 and 4 are partsectional elevation views of the mechanism for controlling and operatingthe fluid and liquid valves; Fig. 5 is a plan view showing the generalarrangement of the pedals by which the valves are yoperated and theirconnection to the valves; and Fig. 6 is a section taken through theliquid and iiuid valves.

Like characters designate like parts in all the figures.

Referring to the drawings in detail, and particularly to Figs. 1 and 2,P designates a casting forming part of the base of pedestal for thechair. This base has a central co1- Specication ci' Letters Patent.

Application filed J une 15, 1917.

Patented June Ill, 1918. Serial No. 174,828.

Screwed into the plug 7 is a member 8, v

packing 9 being provided betweenthe fplug 7 and this member. The lowerend o the member 8 is shaped so as to form a chamber 10 beneath theplunger '5, this chamber communicating with the interior of the column 1by ports 11. A port is formed in the member 8 forming a communicationbetween the chamber 10 and the interior of the plunger 5. This port iscontrolled by a rod 12 screwed into the member 8. The plunger 5 ispartially filled with some liquid, preferably oil. The chamber which isformed by the space leftY between .the inside of the column 1 andtheoutside of the plunger 2 is completely filled with the liquid, a member4' carried by the plunger 2 forming the bottom of this chamber. Areservoir 13 is formed in the pedestal P, this reservoir communicatingby way of passage 14:, port 15, chamber 35, port v16 and passage 17,with the chamber'lS under the piston 18 of the plunger 2. Communicatingwith the reservoir 13 by -way of passages 19 and 20 is a pressure Thefluid valve mechanism and the liquid valve mechanism will now bedescribed. The

fluid valve comprises a hollow valve stein- 22 entering the valve casing23 and having movement vertically therein.

The lower end of the valve stem 22, as viewed in Fig. 2, has an annularhead 2t seated by a spri 25 on a valve seat 24. This valve contro s thesupply of fluid to the passages 19 and 20 and therefore to the reservoir13. Carried within the valve stem 22 and passing through the head 24 isanother stem 26 adapted to be moved vertically therein by means ofmechanism which will be hereinafter described. The-valve stem 26 has across section shaped as shown in Fig. '2a. The lower end of this valvestem 26 carries a valve head 27 which is seated on the annular head 244by means of a springl 28, one end of the spring bearing against the topof the valve stem 22 and its other end against a projection of the valvestem 26. As will be seen from Fig. 2a if the valve stem 26 be forceddownwardly, as viewed in Fig. 2, fluid in the reservoir 13 is free toescape by way of passages 20 and 19 and the grooves 29 cut in the valvestem 26, the upper end of these Grooves extending beyond the top of thevalve stem 22, or in other words being open to the atmosphere.

The liquid valve mechanism is best illustrated in Fig. 1 and comprises astem 30, the lower end of which is attached to a lever 31, the latterbeing pivotally attached to a member 32 shown attached to the castingformin pedestal P. The ends of the member 32 hold in place yokes 33 and34, forming guides for the valve stems 36 and 37, these stems carryingvalves 38 and 39 respectively. The valves are seatedl by s rings 40 and41. The valve stems 36 and 37 pass through the lever 31. Longitudinalmovement of the rod 30 in one direction will lift valve 38 against theaction of its spring 40 to open the port 15, the valve 39 remainingclosed. Movement of the rod 30 in the opposite direction will cause thevalve 39 to lift against the action of its spring 41 to open the port16, the valve 38 in this instance remaining closed. The rod 30 is guidedin the casting P forming the pedestal of the chair.

The fluid valve described and the liquid Valve mechanism is adapted foroperation by means of pedals 42v and 43 (see Figs. 4 and 5). A crosshead44 serves to actuate the valve stems 22 and 26 of the fluid valve andthe rod 30 for operating the liquid valves. The crosshead 44 is mountedupon a rod 45 guided by a casting 46. The pedals 42 and 43' form partsof the lever 51, the latter being operatively connected to the crosshead44 by the shaft 52, lever 50, and link 49. Pressure on the pedal 42 willcause the link 49 and therefore the crosshead44, to be moved upwardly asviewed in'Fig. 4, carrying with it rod 45 whose lower head will causethe sleeve 48 to rmove upwardly, compressin a spring 53 as shown inFigs. 3 and 4. s soon as pressure is taken 0H the pedal 42, the pedaland the crosshead 44 will be returned to normal position by expansion ofthe spring'53. Pressure on the pedal 43 will cause the crosshead 44 tobe moved in the opposite direction to that just described, forcing thesleeve 4,7 downwardly and again compressing the spring 53. H pressure istaken oil the pedal 43, the pedal and the crosshead 44etc., will be.returned to normal position .by expansion of the spring 53.

l have also provided brake mechanism for holding the seat of the chairin positionas regards its horizontal rotation. This brake mechanism,which I will now describe, may be operated through either one of thepedals 42 or 43 without, however, eiecting any movement of the fluid andair valves.

Referring now to Figs. 1, 3, 4, and 5, the brake mechanism comprises alever 54 engaging a brake shoe .56, which engages the plunger 2. Thelower end of the lever 54 is connected by a nut 55 and a link 60 screwedthereinto,and a member 57, to a rod 58, the latter being adapted to havevertical movement in a guide member 59 secured to the pedestal P of thechair. The lower'end of the rod 58 engages the crosshead 44 so that anymovement of the crosshead 44 will be transmitted to the brake shoe 56,through' the several links, etc., just described. ln order that thecrosshead 44 may be moved by means of either pedal 42 or 43 withoutimparting movement to the fluid and liquid valve mechanisms, l haveprovided lost motion between the ends of the crosshead 44 and the valvestems 22 andv26 of the uid valve, and the rod 30 of the liquid valve.

With the parts in the position shown in Fig. 1, the operator may depressthe pedal 42 and cause the crosshead 44 to be moved upwardly. Thisupward movement of the crosshead 44 actuates the valve stem 22 to causethe annular head 24 and valve head 27 carried thereby to be movedupwardly and permit fluid to enter to the reservoir 13 by way of pipe 21and passages 19 and 20. The upward movement ofthe crosshead 44 alsocauses the rod 30 ofthe liquid valve mechanism to be moved upwardly.This movement of the rod 30 carries the lever 31 about its pivot to liftthe valve 39 from its seat and open port 16. As soon as the pressure inthe reservoir 13, due to the `admission of fluid under pressure theretohas risen sufficiently, the valve 38 will be lifted from its seatagainst the action of the spring 40,

opening the port 15. The liquid in the reser voir 13 may now flowtherefrom through the port 15, chamber 35, port 16, and by way ofpassage 17 beneath the piston 18. As soon as the pressure -in the liquidhas risen sufficiently to overcome the inertia ofthe plungers 2 and 5and their load, the plungers will move upwardly. As the plunger 2 movesupwardly, it forces the fluid out of `the column 1 by way of ports 11 tothe chamber 10 beneath the plunger 5, and the latter will bemovedupwardly relatively to the plunger 2, carrying with it, of course, theplaten 6 ofthe chair seat. After the chair seat has been moved upwardlysuficiently, the operator removes his foot from the pedal 42, the lluidvalve will be closed, and the liquid valve mechanism will be returned tocentral position by the spring 53 in the manner already descrlbed, andthe valves 38 and 39 will be seated by their respectivesprngs.

ina

fail to remove his foot from the pedal 42,

The chair will now be held stationary with the liquid locked. If now-itbe desired to move the chair upwardly still farther, the pedal 42 may bedepressed as before, to open the fluid valve and admit pressure to thechamber 13, at the same time' opening the liquid valve 39. If at thistime the pressure in the reservoir V13 is not sufficient to move theplungers upwardly, the plungers may not move downwardly by reason of thefact that the valve 38 cannot open the port 15 until the pressure underthe valve is greater than that above it, the latter pressure being dueto the weight of the plungers and their load. When the pressure in thereservoir 13 has risen above that in the chamber 35, the valve 38 willopen and the plungers will move upwardly and may then be brought to restas before by merely releasing the pedal 42. Should the operator theplungers 2 and 5 will merely be moved upwardly until the ports 11 in theplunger 2 are closed off automatically by the top ofthe chamber in thecolumn l; this closing off being gradual, the plungers will be graduallybrought to rest, without appreciable shock or jar. `If it be desired nowto lower the chair seat, the operator depresses the pedal 43 to actuatethe cross-head 44 in the opposite direction to that just described. Thismovement of the crosshead will move the valve stem 26 downwardly againstthe action of the spring 28, carrying with it the valve head 27. Atthe'same time, the valve 38 will be lifted ofil its seat to open theport 15. Fluid may now escape from the reservoir 13 by way of passages20 and 19, up through the grooves 29 inthe Valve stem 26 and t0 theatmosphere. As soon as the pressure has dropped sufficiently, the weightof the plungers and their load will lift the valve 39 from its seat toopen port 16, and fluid is now free fo flow from beneath the piston 18by w-ay of passage 17, ports 16 and 15 to the reservoir 13. As theplunger 2 descends, the plunger 5 descends relatively thereto; liquidfrom beneath the plunger 5 being free to esca e by way of the ports 11to the chamber in t'he column 1. The chair may be allowed to descend toany desired position and may `then be stopped by merel taking thepressure oflI the pedal 43, and t e valve mechanism will be returned tocentral position by means ofthe spring 53, and the valves 38 and 39 willbe seated by their respective springs.

lnasm uch as, with the chair stationary the ports 15 and 16 are closedby the valves 38 and 38', should the load be taken off the chair, thechair, or rather to be more exact, the plungers 2 and 5 cannot moveupwardly, as any expansion of the air or other fluid in the reservoir 13due tothe removal of the weight from the plungers, while it might besuf- -the class described) settle, by reason of the' factvthat whilethis extra weight may be sufficient to cause the valve 39 to lift offAits seat, the valve 38 would be more firmly seated to close off' theport 15 and thus prevent any flow of fluid back to the reservoir 13.

An air which may find its way to the cham er in the column 1, may beexhausted therefrom by raising the plungers 2 and 5 by hand, unscrewingthe rod 12 and then allowing the plungers to settle back into place bytheir own weight. The liquid in the plunger 5 will flow into the chamberin the column to fill it up, and the air will be forced out and throughthe liquid in the plunger 5 where it may escape to the atmospherethrough the bottom of the platen 6.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that I have rovided anapparatus of which is very simple in construction, positive in action,and which to be operated requires practically no eXer= tion on the artof the operator.

What I cllziim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of theUnited States is 1. ln an adjustable chair, supporting means for theseat of the chair, a fluid chamber, a pressure supply for placing afluidin said chamber under pressure to actuate the chair seat supportingmeans, a valve controlling said pressure supply, ports for the passageof the fluid, valves controlling' said ports, operating means for saidfirst and second named valves, and means operating automatically tocenter said operating means and t0 cause the said last-named valves toclose ofl their ports simultaneously.

2. In an adjustable chair, supporting means for the seat of the chair, afluid cham ber, a pressure supply for placing a fluid in said chamberunder pressure to actuate the chair seat supporting means, ports for thepassage of the fluid, valves controlling said ports, operating means forsaid valves, means for actuating said operating means to neutralposition automatically and the valves into position'to close said portssimultaneously, one of said valves maintaining its port closed tomaintain the chair seat supporting means in adjusted position should thepressure on the fluid due to the weight of the chair seat and its loadexceed that due to the pressure supply.

3.v In an adjustable chair, supporting means for the seat of the chair,a fluid chamber, a pressure supply for placing a fluid in said chamberunder pressure to actuate ire' "lid

fili

the chairseat supporting means, ports for the passage of the fluid,valves controlling said ports, operating means for said valves, meansfor actuating said operating means to neutral position automatically andthe valves into position to close said ports simultaneously, one of saidvalves maintaining its port closed to maintain the chair seat supportingmeans in adjusted position should the pressure on the fluid due to theweight of the'chair seat and its load be less than that due to thepressure supply.

4l. lln an adjustable chair, supporting means for the seat of the chair,a fluid chamber, a pressure supply for placing a fluid in said chamberunder pressure to actuate the chair seat supporting means, ports for thepassage of the fluid, valves controlling said ports, operating means forsaid valves, whereby one valve may be moved ofi1 its seat while theother 4remains seated, until the pressure on the fluid due to thepressure supply is suliciently high to lift said last named valve tocause the chair to ascend or descend as desired, and means for actuatingsaid ope-,rating means to neutral position automatically and the valvesinto position to close said ports simultaneously.

5. lin an adjustable chair, supporting means for the seat of the chair,a fluid chamber, a pressure supply for placing a fluid in said chamberunder pressure toactuate the chair seat supporting means, ports for thepassage of the fluid, valves controlling said ports, means for operatingeither of said valves at will the other maintaining its port closeduntil it is lifted by the pressure on the fluid to either raise or lowerthe chair seat supporting means, and means for actuating said operatingmeans to neutral position automatically and the valves into position toclose said ports simultaneously.

6. ln an adjustable chair, supporting means for the seat of the chair, afluid chamber, a pressure supply for placing a fluid in said chamberunder pressure to actuate the chair seat supporting means, valvemechanism for controlling said pressure supply, ports for the passage ofthe fluid, valves adapted to close said ports simultaneously, a commonoperating means for the first and second named valves, whereby thesupporting` means for the seat of the'chair may be elevated or loweredat will, and means for automatically returning said operating means toneutral position and the valves into position to close said portssino-nltanecusly.`

7. lfn an adjustable chair, supporting means for the seat of the chair,a fluid chamber, a pressure supply for placing a fluid in said chamberunder pressure to actuate the chair seat supporting means, a valve forcontrolling thel admission of pressure to said fluid chamber, a valvecarried by said first- Lacasse named valve and havin movement relativelythereto for control ing the discharge of pressure from saidfluidchamber, and valve mechanism cooperating with said pressure supplyand exhaust valves and controlling the passage of the fluid to and fromsaid fluid chamber in adjusting the chair seat supporting means..

8. lln an adjustable chair, supporting means for the seat of the chair,a fluid chamber, a pressure supply for placing a fluid in said chamberunder pressure to actuate the chair seat supporting means, a valve`having a hollow stem for controlling the admission of pressure to said4fluid chamber, a valve having a stem extending into the stem of thefirst-named valve for controlling the discharge of pressure from saidfluid chamber, and valve mechanism coperating with said pressure supplyand exhaust valves and controlling the passage of the fluid to and fromsaid fluid chamber' in adjusting the chair seat supporting means.

9. ln' an adjustable chair, supporting means for the seat of the chair,a fluid chamber, a pressure supply for placing a fluid in said chamberunder pressure to actuate the chair seat supporting means, and a valvehaving a hollow stem for controlling the admission of pressure to thesaid fluid chamber, a valve having a stem extending into the stem of thefirst-named valve and having movement relatively thereto for controllingthe discharge of pressure from said fluid chamber, and valve mechanismcoperating with said pressure supply and exhaust valves and controllingthe passage of fluid to and from said uid chamber in adjusting the chairseat.

l0. ln an adjustable chair, supportingl means for the seat of the chair,a fluid chamber, a pressure supply for placing a fluid in said chamberunder ressure to actuate the chair scat supporting means, a valve havinga hollow stem for controlling the admission of pressure to said duidchamber, a valve having a stem extending into the stem of thefirst-named valve and having movement relatively thereto for controllingthe discharge of pressure from said fluid chamber, grooves in the stemof said last named valve by which pressure may escape from the fluidchamber to the atmosphere, a head on said valve stem engaging the firstnamed valve and preventing the escape of' pressure by way of saidgrooves, and valve mechanism cooperating with said pressure supply andexhaust valves and controlling the passage of fluid to and from saidfluid chamber in adjusting the chair seat supporting means.

l1. ln an adjustable chair, supporting means for the seat of the chair,a fluid chamber, a pressure supply for placing a fluid in said chamberunder pressure to actuate the chair seat supporting means, valvelmechanism controlling said pressure supply and the passage of thc fluid,brake mechanism for preventing rotation of the supportmg means for thechair seat, actuating means for said brake, a further movement of whichin the same direction will actuate the valve mechanism, the brake beingoperable, however, without any motion being impartedto the valvemechanism.

12. In an adjustable chair, supporting means for the seat of the chair,a fluid chamber, a pressure supply for placing the fluid in saidchalnber under pressure to actuatc the chair seat supporting means,valve mechanism controlling said pressure supply, ports for the passageof the Huid, valves controlling said ports, means connecting saidvalves, actuating means for said valves, comprising pedal mechanismpivoted intermediate its ends, one end being depressed to adjust thechair seat in one direction2 and the opposite end being depressed toadjust the chair seat in the opposite direction.

13. In an adjustable chair, supporting means for the seat of the chair,.a iluid chamber, a pressure supply for placing a lluid in said chamberunder pressure to actuate the chair seat supporting means, valvemechanism controlling said pressure supply, valves for controlling thepassage of the fluid to and from said fluid chamber, yokes forsupporting said last named valves, and means for operating the pressuresupply valve mechanism and one of the fluid valves simultaneously.

14. In 'an adjustable chair, supporting meansfor the seat of the chair,a fluid chamber, a pressure supply for placing a fluid in said chamberunder pressure to actuate the chair seat supporting means, valvescontrolling said pressure supply, valves for controlling the passage ofthe Huid, and means for selectively controlling one or the other of thepressure supply valves and a corresponding'fluid valve to elevate orlower the chair seat supporting means as desired.

15. In an adjustable chair, supporting means for the seat ofthe chair, afluid chamber a pressure supply for placing a fluid in sai chamber underpressure to actuate the chair seat supporting means, valve mechanismcontrolling said pressure supply, valves for controlling the passage ofthe fluid, a bell crank lever connecting the stems of the last namedvalves, means for operating the pressure valve mechanism and the fluidvalve mechanism simultaneously, and means attached to one arm of thebell crank lever for connecting the iluid valves to the operating meanstherefor.

16. In an adjustable chair, supporting means for the seat of the chair,a fluid chamber, a pressure supply for placing a fluid in said chamberunder pressure to actuate the chair seat supporting means, valvemechanism controlling said pressure supply, valves for controlling thepassage of the fluid, a bell crank lever connecting the valve stems ofthe said last named'valves adapted to lift one valve from its seat Whilethe other remains seated, and a common operating means for operating thepressure supply and lluid valve mechanism simultaneously, said operatingmeans being connected to said bell crank.

'17., In an adjustable chair, supporting means for the seat of thechair, a fluid chamber, a pressure supply for placing a fluid in lsaidchamber under pressure to actuate the chair seat supporting means, valvemechanism controlling said pressure supply, valves controlling thepassage of the fluid, springs for seating the last" named valves so asto maintain them closed at the same time, and operating means for all ofsaid valve mechanism whereby the pressure supply valve mechanism may beoperated to admit pressure to the fluid chamber or discharge ittherefrom as desired at the same time lifting one or the other of thefluid valves, the other remaining seated under the action of its spring.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand. y

ADOLPI-I W. SCHRA.

